i have fm/dab and tv sockets in room, when i connect cable to tv - no channels

wakkaday · 19-09-2010, 08:53

Hi guys

i have recently moved to a new flat and in my bedroom i have on the wall 2 sockets marked "fmradio" and "tv" on the wall. I have connected a standard ariel cable from the sockets to my tv, but it is not picking up all the channels when i have scanned or showing them in any quality, (its all fuzzy and grainy)

in the lounge area, there are similar sockets and the tv there is connected to a freeview box and scart to the tv and the channel quality is fine.

are the sockets in my room faulty? am i using the wrong cable?

my tv is a sony bravia ex 32

i bought a digital booster ariel which again i have connected directly to the tv, but it is not picking up any channels either - could this be something to do with the fact i am in a flat/area?

**Chris** · 19-09-2010, 08:57

I assume you mean you've bought a digital aerial booster? And that you have connected it to the socket in the bedroom where there was no signal?

It sounds to me as if the cable from your roof aerial has been split to feed the sockets in the various rooms. It may be that a powered booster was used at the point where the cable split and that the previous occupant took this with them when they left. Can you trace the aerial cable down from the roof?

wakkaday · 19-09-2010, 09:09

yes there is also a socket in the lounge, which is working fine.

digital ariel booster i have connected that to the tv in my room where there is no signal, but it hasnt picked up anything, which i find a bit odd.

there was a notice, on the notice board with manual frequencies for the terrestial channels i.e. bbc 1, channel 4, but on my tv i can only do an automatic scan...not actually manually input frequencies...

so if i have these wall sockets...and they have been split....are they still active? what cable do i need? a standard co-axial ariel cable isn't picking anything?

Sirius · 19-09-2010, 11:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakkaday

yes there is also a socket in the lounge, which is working fine.

digital ariel booster i have connected that to the tv in my room where there is no signal, but it hasnt picked up anything, which i find a bit odd.

there was a notice, on the notice board with manual frequencies for the terrestial channels i.e. bbc 1, channel 4, but on my tv i can only do an automatic scan...not actually manually input frequencies...

so if i have these wall sockets...and they have been split....are they still active? what cable do i need? a standard co-axial Ariel cable isn't picking anything?

Sorry i might have missed this but have you tried the Sony in a room with a known working socket ?

**Kymmy** · 19-09-2010, 14:13

Is the socket wired into the working socket or perhaps it was to a seperate antenna that doesn't now exist..??

joglynne · 19-09-2010, 14:17

May be I am missing something but you say you are using a Freeview box in your lounge but don't mention that you are using one in your bedroom. Has your bedroom TV got built in Freeveiw?

wakkaday · 19-09-2010, 15:29

ive tried tv in lounge and connected the freeview box and it works fine.

on the wall sockets in lounge..."tv, radio and return" all the same sockets for a lead co-axial rf lead. its connected to the tv at the moment. is there anything do with return socket.

my tv doesnt have freeview built in.. ive tried taking the digital freebox in my room and connectin that and doing a channel scan, it comes with "no signal"

there is no way i can see where the ariel leads upto , the way the flats are designed...nothing in obvious sight when i look outside?

ive asked landlord who said the sockets should be live and active.

nodrogd · 19-09-2010, 16:41

You say you are in a flat. Do you have your own aerial or are you hooked up to a communal system. Communal systems have a master outlet, usually in the lounge, and the sockets in the bedrooms are slave outlets. These slave outlets must be fed a signal via the "return" socket on the master outlet plate in order to operate.

**Chris** · 19-09-2010, 16:43

So would the OP need to plug a splitter into the TV-out in the lounge and then from the splitter run a cable to the lounge TV and a short cable straight back into the Return outlet?

nodrogd · 19-09-2010, 16:54

A splitter with one side feeding the return socket should do it, providing the incoming signal is adequate.

**Chris** · 19-09-2010, 17:04

I guess that connecting the TV out direct to the Return socket, then trying to get a signal from the wall plate in the bedroom, would be a worthwhile test before going out and getting a splitter.

Assuming that works, and proves that feeding a signal into that return socket is the solution, what would be your advice with regards to putting a powered amp in the lounge and feeding the return socket from that, as opposed to an unpowered splitter? Would that cause issues, as I'm guessing the flats almost certainly already have a powered amp in the roof space somewhere?

nodrogd · 19-09-2010, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I guess that connecting the TV out direct to the Return socket, then trying to get a signal from the wall plate in the bedroom, would be a worthwhile test before going out and getting a splitter.

This would be a good start. Most plug in splitters only have a small 3.5dB loss, and if the above test works an amp should not be necessary. If the above test still shows issues adding an amp should not cause issues.

wakkaday · 19-09-2010, 17:18

ah i see, excuse my ignorance...what splitter / cables would i require.

i wouldnt have to run a cable from my lounge to the my bedroom would i?

there is a definately a rerun/return socket in the lounge area....

in the bedrrom which i want the tv to work, the only two inputs available on the wall sockets are "DAB/FM" AND "TV"

---

I have tried connecting a cable from the return socket to the digital box and did a channel scan, its not picking up any channels. i probably have wired the cables in correctly... / i also tried another cable from tv out to the back of tv and the spare socket on back of digital box, but still no signal.

i think i need to try the splitter method.

**Chris** · 19-09-2010, 17:21

No no no ... Do not remove the aerial cable from 'TV out'. Leave one end of it in 'TV out' and plug the other end of it into 'Return'.

Then take your TV into the bedroom and use another aerial cable to connect it to the socket that is in there.

You should then find that you can tune into TV signals in the bedroom.

Let us know if this procedure works. If it does, we can talk about what kit you need to make the fix permanent.

wakkaday · 19-09-2010, 18:01

hi,

i have a cable connected from
the "tv out" socket on wall to the "return" socket on wall (i have connected a cable)

in the room where the tv is not working, i have connected a cable from the "tv out" on wall direcltly to the tv and did a scan, it is finding channels, but not with any great quality. still fuzzy.